"We didn't do it, and we won't do it again": Class-action sex discrimination lawsuits at news organizations in the 1970s
Restricted (Penn State Only)
Author:
Walter, Ashley
Graduate Program:
Mass Communications (PHD)
Degree:
Doctor of Philosophy
Document Type:
Dissertation
Date of Defense:
May 18, 2022
Committee Members:
Katherine Maich, Outside Unit, Field & Minor Member Russell Frank, Major Field Member James Risley, Chair & Dissertation Advisor Stephanie Madden, Major Field Member Anthony Olorunnisola, Program Head/Chair
Keywords:
journalism history women's labor media mass communications feminist history
Abstract:
In response to the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which banned sex and race discrimination in the workplace, U.S. women working at print news organizations sued for equal rights throughout the 1970s.
This dissertation traces the history of class-action sex discrimination suits against news organizations in the 1970s. Prior to the suits, many national magazines had strict policies that women could not become reporters. At the same time, the few women reporters at the New York Times, Washington Post, and other mainstream newspapers, were barred from promotions based solely on their sex. Many of those lawsuits lasted for years and created volatile workplaces for the women involved. Eventually, nearly all the suits settled out of court and forced news organizations to hire and promote more women. Yet, these publications were not eager to report on their legal woes, so most of these lawsuits—including their diversity initiatives—were not covered by the mainstream press. This dissertation uncovers those lost stories by amplifying the women’s voices involved in the lawsuits. This work traces the entire history of the suits, from the formation of coalitions, through the life of each court case, and the long-term effects of the nine suits. The dissertation details negotiations between the women and their publishers, in addition to examining the settlements. It ends by addressing the impact of these alliances on today’s newsrooms.
